October 24, 2011

If you find yourself scratching your head and wondering why this post seems oddly familiar, it's because it is basically the same post I wrote last week, with a few minor updates.

Whoever said that bloggers should keep their content fresh and new obviously has more happening in their life than I do.

First up, the Dave's Killer bread update.

Y'all are the best carbohydrate induced coma enablers on the planet. You've offered to go to Costco and mail me some Dave's. You've offered to cross state lines so we can do a clandestine cash for Dave's deal at a secluded highway rest stop. In the case of my friend Valley Girl, you've given me two more types of Dave's (Peace Bomb and raisin) that I need to hunt down and subsequently add to my addiction.

You understand the pain of being hooked on something, and then having it snatched away with no warning.

As my son said, "Mom, you have found your people".

Why yes, son...yes I have.

I'm happy to tell you that I'm going on a little road trip tomorrow and that road trip will take me past at least five different Costcos, so I will be able to stock up on enough Dave's to get me through the winter. If, by chance, I run out before the spring thaw, I now have a list of awesome internet friends that I can count on for re-supply.

That same road trip will take me past at least as many Macy's, so I'm taking my Marthas with me. I'm still not totally sure what my game plan is though. If I can get a full value credit for my pots, I think I could trade them for a Le Creuset without laying out any cash. My plan B is to keep my aqua blue chipped up Martha, which resides full time on my stove top because it looks so cute there, and just use it for a cookie jar or breadbox or something. Then, I'd get the Costco enameled cast iron for actual cooking.

I know you'll be beside yourselves with anticipation, waiting for me to return from my road trip so you can see how this story ends.

You're on the edge of your seat.

I can tell.

As of last night, Once Upon A Time is on my television must watch list, right alongside Revenge.

I'm intrigued. I'm confused. I had to watch it twice, and actually pay attention the second time. I think I'm hooked.

To keep up with the "update you on every tiny detail of my last post" theme, I will tell you that my soldier made it back from his field trip with out mishap, and my back-up Harvest Yankee Candle has been burned down approximately three more inches.

October 18, 2011

Has fall arrived at your house? It is definitely fall around here, that's for sure. Pretty colors, crisp temperatures and cozy fires burning. The furnace came out of hibernation just this very morning.

Speaking of burning, I've already burned through my very favorite Yankee candle (Harvest - it's the best!), and have had to dip into my emergency, back-up Harvest candle. I always stock up because I don't think I could live if they ever discontinue it. Now I'm running without a spare, and that makes me a bit nervous.

While we're on the subject of discontinued items, my Costco no longer carries Dave's Killer Good Seed bread. They carried it for a short time - long enough to get me hooked - and then Poof! Gone.

Other Costcos in the more civilized parts of the world still carry it though, and anyone who comes to stay at my house has to bring at least four loaves as their entry fee.

I need my Dave's Killer. Every day.

It makes the best toast. It makes the best grilled cheese. If you are a seedy, nutty, substantial slice of bread lover, give Dave a try.

The loaves come in a two pack at Costco, so feel free to keep one for yourself and send the other to me.

In other news, Blogger is eating my comments. Every time I hit preview, my comment disappears. If I skip preview (and we all know the typographical dangers that lurk when you skip preview) and go straight to publish, my comments still disappear.

Anyone else out there not feeling the Blogger love? I guess I'll find out if there are no comments on this post. At least I'll hope that's the reason if there are no comments on this post.

At this point, can I just continue changing subjects, but discontinue the "on a totally different subject" and "speaking of" nonsense?

I can? Good.

My favorite show of the new TV season is "Revenge". I started watching because it's set in The Hamptons, and I thought maybe I could get a few tips on how to fit in during my visit there last month. I was disappointed to see that no one on the show was wearing black Converse Chucks or a blue Gap hoodie, my official daily uniform. Regardless of my Hamptons dress code issues, I immediately got hooked on Revenge. It's not my normal kind of show, but now Wednesday is my very favorite television night. I can't wait to see who Emily wreaks her havoc on next.

I'm a little bit ashamed.

My middle son has asked me to send him some "non-American" looking civilian clothes as there is a possibility that he may or may not be going on a field trip of some sort, sometime in the near or not so near future and he and his companions need to be as inconspicuous as possible if they do indeed end up going wherever it is they may or may not be going.

Now that's my kind of planning.

Dear Junior Number Two,I've got news for you. You are a pale white boy with a military buzz cut. I have a feeling that you're probably not going to blend in, no matter what you are wearing.However, as requested, I have sent you two shirts. One is pale blue, in the hopes that in comparison to the pale blue, your skin will look a bit less white. I have also sent you a brown shirt, thinking that perhaps the brown will help you to blend into your sandy surroundings and disappear from view altogether.Have fun on your field trip. Love,Mom

"The enamel coating on the cast iron casseroles can crack or break during use. This can cause the enamel to crack and fly off as a projectile, posing a risk of laceration or burn hazard to the user or bystanders."

Now, I'm not so concerned for myself, but I'd truly hate for any of my bystanders to be lacerated by hot, flying porcelain projectiles. That's just the kind of girl I am. Always looking out for my bystander's best interest.

And now that I've made fun on the internet, I'm sure to get a porcelain projectile to the eye the very next time I use my pot.

So....I went the Martha route instead of the Le Creuset route simply because of the cost difference. Le Creuset is very expensive. Martha via Macy's was not. Back then, I had no clue just how madly in love I would fall with my enameled cast iron soup pot, and I don't think I can survive a winter without one.

So here's my question. Is Le Creuset worth the price? Has your Le Creuset ever chipped? My Martha chipped on it's first use, which was very disappointing. Even if I trade in all three of my Martha pots, I'll still have to fork over some dollars to get the 7.25 qt Le Creuset.

Do I take my flying projectile chances and ignore the government's mandate to "immediately stop using the casserole"? Or do I pony up the bucks in order to instantly become as cool as Giada and Ina and The Pioneer Woman?

October 6, 2011

I had fabulous plans to play Where's Waldo with you all last week and make you guess where I went on my trip.

I was going to post pictures like this....

....and give a prize to the first person who could name the location of this lovely lighthouse.

Doesn't that sound like fun?

I think it sounds like lots of fun.

But like many of my great ideas, follow through was its downfall, and before I knew it, I was right back at home. It seems a little anti-climactic to make you guess where I was a week ago, when I am currently sitting in my cozy house in my sweatpants, drinking my coffee just like every other day of the year.

But this time last week, I was visiting my oldest son and his lovely wife and cruising around The Hamptons and pretending I knew how to say words like Quogue and Ponquogue and Cutchogue.

I was also repeatedly enjoying amazing pizza and bagels, and eating my body weight in cheesecake and ice cream. I was under direct orders from my sister to eat a Friendly's Reese's Peanut Butter Cup sundae, and between that and the coffee caramel ice cream shake that is my daughter-in-law's current favorite breakfast, let's just say I'm glad I brought my fat jeans and leave it at that.

I love that I can now picture my people in their habitat. I love that I know what their house looks like, and where they go for their morning coffee.

I don't love that I will forever be extra jealous when they tell me they're going out for New York style pizza pie while I'm eating my Papa Murphy's take and bake and crying just a little.

We finished out the visit with a trip to the city.

I got to ride the subway.

I got to ride in a taxi.

We visited Ground Zero and even though we couldn't really see much of anything, I'm glad I went.

We ate dinner in a cute little Italian restaurant with Laura Dern. She was behind a curtain that the waiters neglected to close all the way, but as a result of the experience, I feel the need to watch Jurassic Park again.

I went to Radio City Music Hall and saw Cirque Du Soliel's Zarkana.

I stepped in various and assorted questionable substances in the city streets and slept in a fancy city hotel.

I made three different trips through Penn Station, and if it weren't for the fact that my son was my knowledgeable escort all three times, I would absolutely, positively still be there wandering the dark caverns of the New York City underground, with absolutely no clue how to get where I was going.

I know my trip touched only the tiniest tip of the New York iceberg, but it was just the perfect sized bite for my first visit to The Big Apple.

Dear New York Son and Daughter-In-Law,I miss you!I'll be back, and that's a promise.Love,Ma